Meacham meets with media for first time as interim head coach

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State interim head coach Doug Meacham met with the media for the first time ahead of Saturday's Big 12 conference opener against Baylor. Some of his comments:

Oklahoma State Interim Head Coach Doug Meacham

Opening Statement:
"Unfortunately, we are where we are at this point. I owe a lot to Coach (Mike) Gundy. He's hired me twice, (I) played with him — legendary coach. Unfortunately, in this business, that's kind of the things that happen. When you do it long enough, it's going to happen. Unfortunately for us, it had to be at this time. I learned a lot from him and appreciate everything he's done for me in my life and in my career."

On his message to the team over the past day:
"It's just about having fun. We've cut back in some areas in practice. Let's get rested, let's take care of our bodies, let's be strong in the fourth quarter — that's kind of been the message so far. I just want these guys to have fun because, in the day and age of what we're doing now, these kids have options. It's not like back when I played, where you were just kind of stuck with what it was — they have options. Not to say we're not going to hold them accountable and work them, but at the same time, it's a sensitive time, and we want to have fun, and we want them to go out there and battle and fight and have fun as a unit out there."

On what has encouraged him in the early season:
"We've got a couple guys back healthy — (Rodney) Fields coming back is a big jolt for us. He's a top-notch back, and I think he can get through some little cracks and get small through there and do some things with football in his hands. When you have a running back that can do those types of things, it just helps everybody else — it helps take the pressure off Zane (Flores), it helps take pressure off some of the receivers that are getting double-covered. Just having (Fields) back is a big part."

On his view of Zane Flores' progression:
"When you haven't done anything — he has not played this level — so when you get out there and you have the opportunity to play, you're just going to get better and better at it. It's kind of like learning how to play an instrument. You're terrible at first. I think as you keep doing it, eventually the game slows down a little bit, it becomes a little bit easier. The language is quicker, communication is better, and you just get better as you go. And that's our goal offensively — to get better every week."

On if there has been any difficulty handling the distractions of the past day:
"No, not at all. Hats off to these kids — they came out with a good attitude, and they practiced hard today. As coaches, you can sense bad body language and people who are going off and holding court somewhere by themselves, and that type of thing. I don't feel any of that. I think these guys are excited about playing (Baylor) this weekend."

On the status of Hauss Hejny:
"He'll probably be back here in the next few weeks. He'll be on his feet next week, I believe, walking and doing some things and trying to get back. He wants to play."

On if other coaches will change their roles following his promotion:
"No, I think what's important is to just keep it the same. Everybody's kind of entrenched in what they do as an assistant — we've got guys responsible for red zone, goal line, blitz, protections... and we're just going to keep going with it."

On what this opportunity means for him personally:
"It means a lot. I played here... It's my alma mater more than anything... I'm just thinking one game at a time and just appreciative that (Chad) Weiberg thought enough of me to give me the opportunity. And I'm just glad to be here with these guys, because they work so hard... I'm just so lucky."

On any pregame worries:
"It's weird. Pregame, I've gone into games thinking, "Oh, we're going to kill these guys," and we got murdered. I've thought, 'Oh, we're flat,' and we ended up beating somebody by 50. It's hard to read kids in pregame, in my opinion. You hope they're upbeat, but I've never felt like in pregame, here at OSU, that there's always been good energy. There's always been good body language. These kids love football. I don't think I really have to pay much attention to how they are in pregame."

On the team handling adversity:
"You have an option. You can dig in and bear down and fight through it and work, or you can complain and just let it roll you over. So we're not taking that approach. We're going to fight. We're going to show out here on Saturday, and this team is going to fight, and these coaches are going to fight."

On his approach to recruiting:
"Yeah, I'm talking to them, and I understand where they're coming from at this point, just like anybody would. So, if it happens, it happens. We'll move on to the next one."

On how he'll handle being Interim Head Coach:
"I don't think it'll be any different for me. I just take a stride, go out there and have fun, and coach football. It's not going to be any different for me."

On his message to the fans:
"Just hang in there and join the fight with us… More than anything, you've got kids that are fighting hard and just support them, no matter how upset you are, how things are going on. Think about these kids. That's my message to the fans."

On getting momentum going:
"It's very important. Once you light the fire, it'll take off just like anything. It's time for us to have something good happen, and hopefully, it'll be this Saturday."

Oklahoma State University Athletics

Meacham meets with media for first time as interim head coach

Players Mentioned

Zane Flores

Hauss Hejny

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